The invention relates to a sealing assembly comprising at least the following:
Two abutting components made in particular of concrete or steel-reinforced concrete, as well as a sealing profile produced from an elastomeric material, which bridges the gap between the two components in a sealing manner, whereby
the components are configured in particular as tunnel segments which are assembled so as to form a tubular tunnel, thus forming transverse and longitudinal joints, whereby each segment is preferably provided on extending all around and covering all abutting sides of the segments, whereby a sealing profile is in turn located in each recess, forming a sealing framework with corners of the framework; and
a lubricant for the contact surfaces between the respective component and the sealing profile in particular for the contact surfaces between two sealing profiles (DE-A-198 26 482; U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,309; WO-A-93/14297).
In connection with the construction of tunnels, which is specified as a special field of application in the present case, the contact surfaces of two abutting sealing profiles abut one another flatly in most cases. In order to improve the sliding property of the sealing profiles one on top of the other when the segments are installed, the contact surfaces are usually lubricated with a lubricant. Now, when the sealing profile is pushed in, it is compressed, whereby the lubricant is then capable of exiting from the contact surfaces sideways without any obstruction. The adhesive friction between the contact surfaces one on the other increases in this connection due to the growing force of compression and conditioned by the loss of lubricant.
Now, it is proposed in WO-A-93/14297 that the sealing profile be provided within the zone of the contact surfaces with an additional profile layer that is harder and lower in friction than the basic body of the profile. With reduction of the lubricant, or even with omission of the latter, if need be, the additional layer of the profile now assumes the actual sliding task. The drawback here is, however, that the elasticity of the sealing profile and thus the sealing capacity is influenced in a negative way.
The invention relates to a sealing assembly comprising at least two abutting components and at least two sealing profiles. The at least two abutting components are assembled to form a tubular tunnel and are spaced apart by a gap. Each of the at least two abutting components have at least one recess. The at least two sealing profiles, are made from elastomeric material and disposed an the gap between the at least two abutting components (2,3) in a sealing manner. Each of the at least two sealing profiles have a contact surface for allowing each of said at least two sealing profiles to contact each other. One or more of these contact surfaces can have a protrusion. There is also a lubricant disposed between said sealing profile and between said contact surfaces of said sealing profiles.
Useful variations of the sealing assembly are cited in patent claims 2 to 7.